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Top water branch removal

Hi. I'm getting tired of forever topping up the water in the Seven, due to a variety of minor water leaks. I plan to tackle these soon. One of the leaks is between the top water branch and the cast iron HC head. Now, the question is, can I just remove the relevant two cylinder head nuts without disturbing the rest of them ? Or am I running the risk of distorting the head ? Could I maybe slacken all the head nuts say half a turn and then later retighten ? I'd rather avoid having to take the head right off and having to fit a new cylinder head gasket as it's all nicely sealed at the moment. Opinions please.

Location: New Forest

Re: Top water branch removal

I have removed these without disturbing the other nuts many times without issue John.

New ones can be purchased and I use sealant rather than a paper gasket.

Re: Top water branch removal

I also have resealed lots of these without taking the head off.
Make sure the top casting is good, if doubtful replace it with new.
Also I use sealer and no gasket, do put sealer under the washers and tighten the new nuts up to 20 ft lbs.
Should be no problem.
Good luck.

Location: The Centre of the Universe

Re: Top water branch removal

If it helps, I used a product called "tigerseal" (and no gasket is needed in my experience) to cure leaks from the top water branch. It works equally well on the side water branch but I use a gasket there for a belt and braces approach. This product sticks really well so beware of using it where you may want to remove a component later on, such as on a sump cover seal!

An HC head needs the 2 longer mounting studs as well.

John

Location: Norfolk Fens

Re: Top water branch removal

I have done this just removing the 2 nuts, clean up both mating faces and degrease both with acetone, make the joint using Loctite 5699 (available from Halfords or BML)on both faces, bolt up finger tight and leave to cure for 24 hrs before torquing down to whatever figure you are comfortable with for all the head nuts. I did exactly this on my '29 chummy (with a '36 head) over a year and 2000 miles ago; leak free ever since

BTW where has the CAPCHA gone ???


Ian Mc.

Location: Shropshire

Re: Top water branch removal

Many thanks to all who replied with helpful suggestions. Maybe it's now time to make a confession. In the 15 years I have had this car, I have always religiously checked oil, water etc before every journey. Just for once I didn't, and on a rather hot day after about 25 miles brisk(ish) driving I fancied that the running oil pressure was a bit lower than normal (4 versus 6 PSI). After getting home and parking up to open the garage with the engine idling, steam started issuing forth from various places accompanied by furious kettling noises. It took 2 or 3 pints of hot water slowly introduced before the normal level was restored. In all my years of motoring I thought that boiling up was a bit of a joke, and something that only happened to other people ! Shame on me.

Location: New Forest

Re: Top water branch removal

Trouble really begins when all the water has gone. Many cast iron sv and ohv engines are remarkably tolerant. Unlike alloy ohc jobs.
Vigorous boiling was an accepted part of motoring years ago. To the 50s water stations were provided on one of our more severe routes. (Napier- Taupo)
My Seven had a tiny hole in the cap so any boiling was evident. When a sharp stop was acheived a tiny geyser of brown water shot over the roof. Large quantity must exit the overflow.

Location: Auckland, NZ

Re: Top water branch removal

Bob - Apart from over-stating the obvious, what relevance has all that with the original question which has already been answered?
Thanks for wasting our time yet again. Cheers, Bill

Location: Euroa, Australia

Re: Top water branch removal

Reading these posts is not compulsory, the only person who can waste your time here is you.

Re: Top water branch removal

The problem is Duncan that it is not always apparent that a posting is deliberately wasting our time until you get to the end and realise it.
Those of us who see it coming deliberately avoid.

Location: Bristol

Re: Top water branch removal

Bill Sheehan
Bob - Apart from over-stating the obvious, what relevance has all that with the original question which has already been answered?
Thanks for wasting our time yet again. Cheers, Bill


What a dreadful response!!you should be ashamed of a post that will do nothing but spawn a host of even more irrelevant rubbish such as Ian's

David

Re: Top water branch removal

Seems like we will need to obtain prior clearance before posting on these
pages in case we are accused of time wasting.

Not a very friendly attitude.

Tommy. Melb. OZ.

Re: Top water branch removal

The problem is Tom that longtime and valued contributors to this forum tire of the constant negative, miss leading, uninformative, and racist commentary from some quarters. Eventually they get fed up with it and speak out, only to be lambasted for doing so, other's go away and no longer contribute, as a result the forum is a poorer place. As the say one bad apple.

Location: Auckland NZ

Re: Top water branch removal

John Cornforth
Many thanks to all who replied with helpful suggestions.


Do let us know how you get on with the repair John, always good to hear how things turn out

Re: Top water branch removal

Amen

Location: The Centre of the Universe